The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba, on Tuesday led a high-powered delegation on a working visit to the Kenyan President and other top government functionaries, reaffirming the bank’s commitment to accelerating investment and supporting inclusive growth in the country and the whole region.
The Kenyan President, H.E. President William Ruto, who received Alawuba and his team at the State House, Nairobi, commended the bank for its support to the country over the years.
Discussions were also held on how UBA will continue to partner with the country towards supporting the advancement of infrastructure development, financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and supporting its long-term economic transformation agenda that will result in developments in the country and the whole East African region.
“Kenya holds a strategic place in East Africa and the whole continent’s growth story, and UBA is committed to being a long-term partner in unlocking the immense potential here,” Alawuba said. “From financing critical infrastructure to empowering SMEs that drive job creation, our mission is to deliver sustainable solutions that connect markets, foster trade, and improve lives in the whole of East Africa.”
Together with the UBA delegation, which included the Executive Director/CEO, Sola Yomi-Ajayi, UBA Africa, and Managing Director/CEO of UBA Kenya, Mary Mulilu, Alawuba also held other high-level discussions with other key leaders in government and the financial sector in the country.
He met with the Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya, Dr. Kamau Thugge, where discussions centred on strengthening financial sector resilience and enhancing cross-border trade through payments innovation in East Africa.
Alawuba took time to explain that UBA has the financial capacity and expertise to support the regulators’ agenda for a sound, well-capitalised and competitive banking system in Kenya and all subsidiaries in the region.
In a landmark announcement, UBA pledged USD 150 million to the Government of Kenya’s Roads Levy Securitisation Program, a USD 1.35 billion initiative spearheaded by the Kenya Roads Board, during a meeting with Mr. Davis Chirchir, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport. The program aims to upgrade critical road infrastructure, accelerate payments to contractors, and boost national and regional connectivity.
“Infrastructure is the engine of trade, competitiveness, and shared prosperity,” Alawuba said. “UBA is proud to be one of the largest financiers of this program, demonstrating our unshakeable confidence in the region’s future.”
The Managing Director/CEO of UBA Kenya, Mary Mulilu, added: “Our participation cements UBA’s role as a trusted ally to the Kenyan government, businesses, and communities in the whole of ESA (East and South Africa). We are paving the way for better connectivity that empowers farmers, manufacturers, and SMEs across the region.”
Alawuba and his team also met with the Prime Cabinet Secretary of Kenya, H.E. Musalia Mudavadi. Their discussions emphasised the importance of African-led enterprises in driving job creation, innovation, and sustainable growth. Both parties highlighted the need for robust partnerships to advance quality infrastructure and regional interconnectivity as foundations for shared prosperity.
“These engagements reaffirm UBA’s commitment to collaborate with governments and stakeholders in building a prosperous, united, and self-reliant Africa,” Alawuba said.
UBA’s engagement reflects the bank’s broader strategy of driving economic transformation across the continent and UBA’s strategic vision to position Kenya as a vital hub connecting East Africa, fostering broader regional opportunities through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). With SMEs accounting for the biggest percentage in Africa and over 80% of employment in Kenya, the bank is rolling out tailored financing solutions to strengthen entrepreneurship and harness opportunities.
United Bank for Africa is Africa’s Global Bank. Operating across twenty African countries as well as in the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France, and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services. The bank is one of the largest employers in the financial sector in Africa, with over 25,000 employees and more than 45 million customers worldwide.
